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During the PET/CT Scan

During the Scan

You will be required to lie flat with your arms raised above your head.Ìý If you think you will be unable to keep your arms above your head for approximately 35 minutes, please notify the technologist and they may accommodate you.

Patients referred for PET/CT scanning will be required to spend approximately two hours at Stanford. Patients are first injected with a very small amount of the FDG radiotracer. The patient then waits approximately 45-60 minutes prior to scanning to allow for the FDG to adequately target and bind to possible cancer cells within the body. The actual scan takes approximately 35-45 minutes with the patient lying flat within the scanner.

On the day of your appointment

  • You should plan to be at Stanford a total of 2-3 hours on exam day.
  • Arrive at the registration desk located at H2200 of the main hospital at 300 Pasteur Drive, directly above the cafeteria. Read the patient prep instructions for more information.
  • Patient Registration will direct you to the PET/CT area.
  • You will be greeted by the PET/CT staff and they will take a small blood sugar sample and place a small intravenous line (IV) for a simple injection of the radioactive tracer called FDG. Both the blood test and the injection are necessary components of this study.
  • Following the injection, you will be asked to sit quietly for 45-60 minutes.
  • You will then be imaged on the PET/CT scanner for approximately 30-40 minutes.